Appendage based user interface navigation system for imaging devices

Abstract

An imaging device ( 100 ) having an imaging system ( 102 ) that optically detects movement of an appendage ( 104 ), and a processor ( 200 ) that automatically translates the movement of the appendage to alphanumeric symbols ( 400 ) or graphical user interface navigation commands. The processor can automatically implement the alphanumeric symbols or navigation commands in an application ( 208 ). In addition, the processor can automatically identify a second alphanumeric symbol ( 502 ) that has a high statistical probability of following a first alphanumeric symbol ( 500 ). The processor also can detect a speed at which the appendage is moved and generate a motion parameter correlating to the detected speed. The processor can process the motion parameter to automatically translate the movement of the appendage. The processor can correlate the motion parameter to a user interface scroll speed.

1 . An imaging device, comprising: 
 an imaging system that optically detects movement of an appendage; and    a processor that automatically translates the movement of the appendage to alphanumeric symbols or graphical user interface navigation commands, and automatically implements the alphanumeric symbols or navigation commands in an application.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor further detects a speed at which the appendage is moved, and generates a motion parameter correlating to the detected speed at which the appendage is moved.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor processes the motion parameter to automatically translate the movement of the appendage.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor further correlates the motion parameter to a user interface scroll speed.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor automatically identifies a second alphanumeric symbol in response to translating the movement of the appendage to a first of the alphanumeric symbols.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the second alphanumeric symbol identified by the processor has a high statistical probability of following the first alphanumeric symbol.  
   
   
       7 . The device  claim 6 , wherein the processor changes the second alphanumeric symbol to an alphanumeric symbol that correlates to the additional movement of the appendage that is optically detected by the imaging system  
   
   
       8 . A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of: 
 optically detecting movement of an appendage;    automatically translating the movement of the appendage to alphanumeric symbols or graphical user interface navigation commands; and    automatically implementing the alphanumeric symbols or navigation commands in an application.    
   
   
       9 . The machine readable storage of  claim 8 , further causing the machine to perform the steps of: 
 detecting a speed at which the appendage is moved; and    generating a motion parameter correlating to the detected speed at which the appendage is moved.    
   
   
       10 . The machine readable storage of  claim 9 , wherein the step of automatically translating the movement further comprises processing the motion parameter.  
   
   
       11 . The machine readable storage of  claim 9 , wherein the step of automatically translating the movement further comprises correlating the motion parameter to a user interface scroll speed.  
   
   
       12 . The machine readable storage of  claim 8 , further causing the machine to perform the step of: 
 responsive to translating the movement of the appendage to a first of the alphanumeric symbols, automatically identifying a second alphanumeric symbol.    
   
   
       13 . The machine readable storage of  claim 8 , further causing the machine to perform the step of: 
 responsive to translating the movement of the appendage to a first of the alphanumeric symbols, automatically identifying a second alphanumeric symbol that has a high statistical probability of following the first alphanumeric symbol.    
   
   
       14 . The machine readable storage of  claim 13 , further causing the machine to perform the step of: 
 responsive to optically detecting at least one additional movement of the appendage, changing the second alphanumeric symbol to an alphanumeric symbol that correlates to the additional movement.    
   
   
       15 . A method for controlling a device having an image capture system, comprising: 
 optically detecting movement of an appendage;    automatically translating the movement of the appendage to alphanumeric symbols or graphical user interface navigation commands; and    automatically implementing the alphanumeric symbols or navigation commands in an application.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 detecting a speed at which the appendage is moved; and    generating a motion parameter correlating to the detected speed at which the appendage is moved.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of automatically translating the movement of the appendage further comprises processing the motion parameter.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the step of automatically translating the movement further comprises correlating the motion parameter to a user interface scroll speed.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 responsive to translating the movement to a first of the alphanumeric symbols, automatically identifying a second alphanumeric symbol.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 responsive to translating the movement of the appendage to a first of the alphanumeric symbols, automatically identifying a second alphanumeric symbol that has a high statistical probability of following the first alphanumeric symbol.